MTD users - do you often use your bridge pickup solo'ed?

[Brad Johnson]

Ah... might just be on the later ones. I didn't even know mine had one until I played another one a while back and it had about 3 times the output as mine!

Actually I did have an adjustment and I had maxxed it from day one. Hard to keep track but I know this is the first thing I check for, especially with Bart preamps, on any bass.

 

[gfab333]

The lower output you notice is due to the preamp's trim pot adjustment. You can get in there and crank the trim pot up a little to match the output of your other basses if you want. Since Mike does not mention the trim pot in the documentation that comes with the bass (or at least he didn't when I received mine all those years ago), and since the battery compartment is separate from the control cavity, many don't realize this control exists.

I have a '97 or '98 model, and I've messed with the trim pot a few times. It can really make a big difference in your signal. On one occassion years ago, I actually ended up overdriving my preamp slightly when I tried turning up the trim pot to 80-90%.